Just Beyond the Full Moon
by Willow Chastity Lupin
Summary: These stories take place in thier sixth year at Hogwarts, you will see all of your favorites as well as exciting new charaters that make life at Hogwarts even more interesting.
1. Default Chapter

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The New Kid

Running through the corridor as fast as his feet would take him, Harry Potter, beginning his first day of sixth year, went careening headfirst into an on-coming student. Falling hard onto the stone floor, he took the slight girl with him. He looked up, brushed his wild black hair out of his eyes, and saw a tall blonde girl with violet eyes lying sprawled on the ground next to him.

"I am so sorry," Harry began to apologize breathlessly.

"Its quite all right," she began, looking into his violent green eyes, then nonchalantly glancing at the lightning blot scar on his forehead. "Harry Potter I presume, I am Willow Lupin. You may know my father, Remus Lupin. He used to teach here."

"Your Professor Lupin's daughter?" Harry asked shocked, and very wide-eyed, letting his jaw visibly drop.

"Last time I checked I was, but after a blow like that I'm not quite sure." She said with a grin on her face.

"Yeah, geez, I'm sorry about that, I..."

"It really is quite all right." She interrupted. "Hey, by the way, you're a sixth year, right? What house are you in?"

"Uh...yeah, I'm a sixth year, and I'm in Gryffindor, how about you?" he inquired.

"Really, smashing! I am in Gryffindor also. One of the girls is supposed to show me around, a girl named, um...Her...Herman...Hermany?" Willow stammered.

"Oh..._Her-my-uh-ney_, Hermione Granger! She is one of my good friends, what class are you going to?" Harry asked quickly.

"Yeah her, uh... Potions." She said, looking at a small piece of paper she had pulled out of her robe pocket. "You wouldn't perchance know where that is, would you?"

"Yeah, Potions with Snape," Harry grumbled, "I have it next as well, but we both are already ten minutes late. He will let you off, but, for me, he will opt for the death penalty!"

"Oh-kay..." Willow said, slightly confused.

"You'll see." Harry added.

"Well Potter, what is your excuse this time?" Snape growled, his greasy hair plastered to his large forehead, "And lets try and make it believable this time, shall we?"

"Um...well Professor...Uh, you see..." Harry began.

"Professor Snape, sir," Willow interrupted him coolly, "Mr. Potter here was showing me the way, I got hopelessly lost, he...er...he found me, and then I he brought me here. I am Willow, Willow Lupin"

Everyone in the class flinched or gazed wide-eyed as she said her name, not because of who she was, but because of who her father was, and because of Snape's raw hatred for him.

"Lupin you say," Snape began, scowling at her, "Willow Lupin, Remus Lupin is your, Father?"

"Yes sir." Willow said respectfully, ignoring Snape's flaring nostrils and narrowing eyes.

"Really, I didn't know they let men, or should I say things, yes, things like him reproduce. God knows we don't need anymore of his kind in this world, it isn't genetic, is it?" Snape said, deliberately glaring at her.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Willow said calmly.

"Oh, my, don't make me say it out loud, its not like everyone doesn't already know, so don't play dumb, as easy as it may be for you." Snape raised his hooked nose in the air, showing his complete disgust for her.

"I would ask you not to talk about my father like that Professor. And no, it is not genetic, nor is it inherited, unlike many of the undesired genetics which Father said have been in your family for years." Willow said quietly, not breaking eye contact with the infuriated Snape.

Snape's eyes turned a color no one, not even Harry himself, whom Snape loathed more than anyone, had ever seen them turn before, a violent crimson. "Take a seat Miss Lupin." Snape barely audibly hissed through gritted teeth.

Willow walked to the back of the room through rows and rows of shocked students. She followed Harry who sat next to Ron Weasley, a tall, very freckled redhead, she then took a seat with two other nearby girls. One of which was Harry's girlfriend, Kalli Damia, a very attractive sixth year with jet-black hair and ice blue eyes. The other was Hermione Granger, a sixth year with bushy brown hair and brown eyes.

Hermione's mouth was visibly opened, after more than a moment of shock, she came back to, and whispered, "Hi, I'm Hermione Granger, we can talk after lessons, don't want detention."

Kalli, who had somewhat suspiciously eyed Willow the first instant she entered the room, was now looking at her rather admirably. She mouthed,

"Hey, I'm Kalli, how are you?"

Willow mouthed back, "Oh kay." Then Snape abruptly began talking again, as if he himself had been in shock as well. He spent the entire lesson picking on Willow, Kalli, Ron, Hermione, and Harry. He asked things not even involving anything they ever had learned, or ever would for that matter.

After Snape's class, which seemed to lasted a millennium easy, they all walked quickly out of the classroom. "What was his problem, Dad warned me about him, grudge against the family I guess, but honestly!" Willow exclaimed in the hall right outside of Snape's classroom. "Well, anyway, now on a brighter note, Kalli, how are you dear?"

Harry was rather shocked, until he remembered that Kalli was Remus's niece, he wondered how come she didn't already know her cousin, and why she seemed to be the most shocked of anyone to see her.

"Uh...I'm good. I'm going to be frank, Willow, I have lived with Uncle

Remus forever, why did I never meet you?" Kalli asked quietly, concern in her eyes.

"Oh...well, that's rather easy to explain, I have lived with my Mum for all these years. And well..." she paused, all of them got quiet, then she looked down towards the floor and whispered somberly, "Mum died last month."

"So much for the brighter note." Ron piped up.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed.

A very somber tone came over the whole group. The Kalli piped up, "Willow, I thought Aunt Chastity died years ago."

"Did Dad tell you that?" She asked with a small grin on her face, and a little lighter in spirits.

"Uh...Yeah, why?" Kalli asked.

"Because its not true, that's what he told everyone, Mum left him in the middle of the night when I was just a toddler. She couldn't handle the monthly problems that came with the moon I guess, I don't even think he admitted it to himself until I sent him an owl a few months ago, I never knew he existed till she was on her deathbed, now I live with him, well, at Hogwarts now, but during summer we are both going back to him." She finished.

"He lied." Kalli said in disbelief.

"Kalli, it's not lying if he believed it."

"True, okay..." Kalli said, as if in deep thought to sort all this out.

Hermione looked like she was just told that two plus two equaled five, which to Hermione would be devastating. And Harry looked concerned for Kalli and

Willow, while Ron was over it and just wanted to go to lunch.

"Can we go eat now guys?" Ron asked loudly, which made everyone look at him as if he had just screamed in the middle of church.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed as she hit him in the chest. "Is that all you can ever think of, food?"

"Of course not Hermione, how could you say that!" He began sounding disgusted, "I think of Quidditch too." He cracked a large grin, and everyone giggled and grinned as well.

"Oh Ron, honestly!" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Well, there's other things I think of too, but I wouldn't say them in the presence of ladies, so Kalli and Willow, if you would excuse us, I can tell everyone else." Ron said as he slowly backed away from Hermione, who looked as if she was out for blood. Then just before he was going to make a run for it, she cracked a grin.

"Honestly Ron, sometimes I wonder about you." She shook her head disapprovingly.

"Well, at least you think about me." Ron said through a broad smile.

Hermione just sighed and rolled her eyes. "Let's go eat."

"Well its about bloody time!" Ron practically yelled as he eyed Hermione, then as he saw her turning he diverted his eyes to Harry. "So, are we going or what?"

"Yes. Hermione, if you want, you can give me a small tour before lunch hour." Willow suggested.

"Of course, I would be happy to." Hermione said politely.

"And this is the North Tower, we aren't allowed up here so we wont go any further." Hermione continued as she gave Willow a tour of Hogwarts with Ron tagging along.

"So why should that stop us?" Willow asked inquisitively. "I mean, we can at least sneak a peak, it won't hurt anyone."

"That's my kind of girl!" Ron exclaimed, much to Hermione's dislike.

"Been here three hours and she is already trying to get kicked out!"

Hermione sighed, quite exasperated, and reluctantly followed Willow and Ron. It would be better for her, as a complete teacher's pet, to be caught with them in the North Tower, rather than alone at the base of it.

"This is incredible, you must be able to see every star in the sky at night." Willow said as she gazed up at the open blue sky.

"Only on a clear night," Hermione added matter-of-factly. "When it's cloudy, you can't see a bloody thing."

"You've been up here at night?" Willow asked, slightly taken back.

"Only a few times," Hermione said, grinning slightly, "But only when we have Harry's invisibility cloak mind you, we aren't that stupid."

"Harry has an invisibility cloak?" She asked suddenly delighted.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, "Ex-nay on the cloak-ay."

"Amazing someone like you Ron could be so bad at Pig Latin." Hermione began with her usual insult to Ron, "Yes, Harry has an invisibility cloak, and I see no problem in you knowing. You're so, um, adventurous, you might find a use for it."

"I don't like her!" Hermione yelled once she was in the privacy of her dormitory with Kalli.

"Why not?" Kalli asked suddenly surprised by Hermione directness.

"She was so, disgustingly likeable!" Hermione exclaimed, "Honestly, you should have seen Ron salivating over her, like she was a chocolate frog, or something, really!"

"Don't worry about it Hermione, you know Ron is mad for you..."

"He is not!" Hermione interrupted her.

"And like I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, she is fresh meat, they have to drool over her for just a little while. And don't worry,

I didn't like her much when I saw her come in so late with Harry, but I have that little thing called trust with Harry."

"Why should I have trust with Ron, I don't like him and he doesn't like me, end of story." This was Hermione's _subtle_ way of ending the conversation, Kalli took the very large hint and abruptly changed the subject.

"So how about those Hornets?" Kalli said trying to get Hermione to crack a smile.

"MORE QUIDDITCH, HONESTLY!" She practically screamed and then stormed out of the dormitory.

At breakfast the next morning Ron and Harry invited Willow to eat with them, Kalli sat next to Harry and Willow sat in between the two guys.

Hermione brushed right past them all and went to the other end of the table.

"What's her malfunction?" Ron asked.

"I dunno Ron, why don't you go ask her if she needs a good mechanic?" Harry said jokingly.

"Sod off Harry Potter, you may be famous, and great at Quidditch, get all the girls, have Dumbledore on your side, and have your own fortune, but, but, but, Oh Bugger!" Ron exclaimed, seeing this was not going the way he planned. Harry, Kalli, and Willow all almost had pumpkin juice come out of their noses with that last feeble attempt by Ron.

"Kalli, are you done eating?" Willow asked her quietly.

"Yeah, sure, why?" Kalli asked, eyeing Willow.

"I need to talk to you." Willow said giving Kalli the look that told her she was serious.

"Okay, Harry, Ron, see you guys later." Kalli said, blowing Harry a kiss goodbye.

"Okay Kalli, I need to know, am I the reason Hermione is acting like this?" Willow asked seriously, after getting out of earshot.

"Well, sort of, but it is mainly Ron. She likes him, and I mean REALLY likes him. And well, you have taken his attention off her. She doesn't like that too much." Kalli stated.

"That's the understatement of the year!" Willow said in an exasperated tone.

"Its okay Willow, just lay off a little, alright?" Kalli said calmly.

"Okay, thanks Kal."

"No problem." Kalli nodded slightly. She had just started to walk away when Willow beckoned her back.

"Kalli," Willow called out, "There is something else..."

"What is it?" Kalli cut in when Willow began to trail off.

"You know how I told Professor Snape that being a Werewolf isn't genetic?" She began as if waiting for an answer, but when Kalli just nodded she continued. "Well, I wasn't exactly telling the whole truth."

"What?" Kalli exclaimed.

"I am half Werewolf because of Dad, and half normal because of Mum. My hair gets a little thicker, my teeth a little pointier, and I get slightly vicious on full moons. Nothing like Dad of course, but still, I usually stay under my sheets and do my homework when it happens so no one will bother me." She swallowed hard, not sure of what her cousin's response would be.

"That's incredible..." Kalli began, "if you ever need help, I will be here, just so you know."

Willow smiled a very broad smile, "Thank you, thanks a lot."

"Don't sweat it Willow, what is family for." Kalli grinned at her.


	2. What is Family For

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What is Family For

Willow Lupin climbed the ladder that led to a round door. It read, "Professor Trelawney, Divination." Willow opened the door; the strong smell of sweet perfume filled her nostrils. She found that everyone had already taken their seats. She walked over and joined Kalli Damia, her cousin, at a small round table.

"Hello Dears," Professor Trelawney began in a misty voice, "Today we will be doing a full review of Tea Leaves." Everyone in class gave a series of low groans, fully voicing their dismay. "First, please come up single file to get a tea cup, Neville dear, you will remember to take one of the blue ones. After you have your cup I will pour you a glass of tea, you will drink all of the tea until all you have left is the dregs." She continued in her airy manner, the warmth of the room and the sweet perfume was starting to affect everyone. Willow looked around, Lavender and Pavarti, her other roommates, had their seats very close to Professor Trelawney. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas where at a small table in the back, and Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were at the table next to them. Other Gryffindor students were scattered around the room. "You then turn over your tea cups onto your saucers, let the dregs drip onto your saucer, then you and your partner switch and read each others tea leaves."

"Sounds easy enough." Willow whispered to Kalli.

"Yeah, Tea Leaves is the first time Trelawney predicted Harry's death," Ron said in a hushed voice from the next table. "You know, four years ago! She has been predicting it every class since too, Old Bat. Wouldn't know a death omen if it bit her." Ron exclaimed. Kalli and Willow giggled aloud as Harry rolled his eyes and gave a slight grin.

After everyone in the class had gotten back to their seats, and Neville had already dropped three cups, they all began to follow the instructions. After Kalli and Willow had both turned over their teacups, Kalli began to read Willow's tea leaves first.

"What do you see?" Willow asked excitedly.

"I see, I see..." Kalli began, then let out a little giggle. "I see you are going to be in a foul mood tonight."

"What's so funny about that?" Willow asked seriously. Kalli just grinned at her, attempting to hold back laughter. "What...Oh Bugger! Tonight is the, oh bloody buggery, tonight is the full moon!" she tried to whisper as quietly as possible.

Harry, obviously overhearing their conversation asked, "So, what's so bad about that? Uncle Remus isn't here, we don't have to worry about anything."

"That's not entirely true." Willow began quietly. Harry and Ron's mouths both hung opened.

"Uh...But you told Snape..." Harry trailed off.

"Harry, honestly, how good of an idea do you think it would have been to tell Snape that Willow, Remus Lupin's daughter was half werewolf, he would have failed her for sure." Kalli cut in.

"True, true." Ron added. "So, what happens to you on the full moon?"

"Well, first off, it only lasts one night." She began hesitantly. "And what happens is, my hair gets a little thicker. My teeth get a little pointy, and I get a little irritable. Nothing like my Father, but still."

"So it's like PMS?" Ron asked seriously. Kalli, Harry and Willow all giggled at the question.

"Ron, what girls teeth do you know that get pointy during PMS?" Willow asked.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed.

"Has Hermione ever bitten you?" Kalli asked jokingly.

"I don't wanna talk about it." Ron said seriously. Kalli and Willow could not help but laugh aloud at this.

"Okay Ron, no problem!" Willow choked through her laughter.

Professor Trelawney came over to Kalli and Willow's table, looked at Willow saucer, and gasped.

"What is it?" Willow asked, only half wanting to hear the answer.

"I see, I see…" She began in the mistiest voice any of them had ever heard. "I see a werewolf in your tea leaves. What is your name again dear?" They all giggled slightly.

"Willow Lupin" She stated.

"Remus Lupin's daughter?"

"Nah, she's his wife, doesn't she look like his daughter?" Ron said in a smart tone. Then Professor Trelawney shot him a look that showed her immediate dislike of him.

"Ah, yes, I knew that, just try not to let The Eye ruin normal conversations that's all. But yes, that would be it, your father, but beware dear, be very careful, I see havoc in store for you tonight." Professor Trelawney said, then pivoted and walked to her winged armchair and sat down.

"Old Bat, what a fraud." Ron exclaimed.

"I am so hungry I could eat a hippogriff!" Ron exclaimed to the group, which consisted of Harry, Kalli, Hermione, and Willow. "So can we please hurry to the Great Hall."

"We are walking as fast as we can Ron, would you like us to run?" Hermione said sarcastically.

"That would be nice." Ron said, eyeing Hermione to see whether he was going to be hit or not. She just rolled her eyes and mutter something where the words "boys!" and "honestly" were audible.

"So I take it you are eating with us again huh Herm?" Ron asked.

"Yes, and don't call me Herm, you know I hate that." Hermione said in a disapproving voice.

"No problem Herm." Ron said, obviously trying to get under her skin.

They all took their seats, this time Hermione was throw into the mix, Kalli still sat next to Harry, and Willow beside Harry and Ron, and Hermione was on the other side of Ron. The Roast beef and potatoes appeared on their golden plates, and pumpkin juice in their golden goblets. They all stuffed their mouths and then began to talk.

"So Ron, you decided to stop drooling over Willow for long enough to eat I see." Hermione said so it was plainly audible to everyone, including Willow.

"Oh Bugger Hermione, just because no one likes you doesn't mean you have to go making everyone miserable!" Ron exclaimed.

Hermione picked up her goblet of pumpkin juice, held it over Ron's lap, and poured the full glass onto him.

"You bloody bugger git!" Ron exclaimed, immediately standing up and looking at where she had poured the juice. Everyone was loudly giggling, and staring at Ron.

"You did deserve that Ron." Harry explained.

"It doesn't bloody matter!" Ron practically shouted.

"Couldn't hold it could you Weasley?" Said the all to familiar drawl of Draco Malfoy. Willow took him to be quite handsome; he had blonde hair and thin face. "The bathroom is right down the hall too."

"Sod off Malfoy." Harry said, Ron was visible shaking with anger and his ears were pink from embarrassment and fury.

"Oh, but I was having so much fun. Who is this, a new student?" Draco said eyeing Willow with interest.

"My name is Willow Lupin, and yours?" Willow said coolly.

"Draco, Draco Malfoy. Lupin you say, too bad such a beautiful girl as your self has such a good-for-nothing for a father." Draco said, checking out Willow the entire time.

"Don't talk about my father that way, ever." Willow stated angrily rising from her seat.

"I'm terribly sorry, far be it from me to get on your bad side." He said as he walked away, his voice not containing an ounce of sarcasm.

"Oh my lord, Malfoy apologized!" Kalli exclaimed. "I have never seen him do that for anyone before."

"What can I say, I have the touch." Willow stated, making everyone laugh.

"Okay, out with it, what is your secret?" Kalli demanded.

"Easy, it's only four steps. Bat the eyes, flip the hair, shake the hips, walk away." Willow said with a grin on her face. Both of the girls giggled loudly. Hermione then turned to Ron and started batting her eyes.

"Is there something in your eye Hermione?" He asked dumbly, this made all of them roar up in laughter, except Ron, almost causing a scene.

"So Willow, what are you going to do about tonight?" Harry asked seriously after everyone had calmed down.

"Tonight?" Hermione asked when Ron cut her off.

"Yeah, are you going to come out of your dormitory?" Ron asked.

"Well, I can animagi with you." Kalli said.

"We really have to learn to do that dude!" Ron said to Harry.

"Why would you need to animagi, what's tonight, someone tell me what's going on!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Fine, I will tell you, but no one else." Willow began. "I'm, well, I'm…half werewolf, nothing like my dad, but things happen to me, and I have never been around people before when it is a full moon."

"Uh…Okay, I wasn't expecting that." Hermione stated.

"That's it, decision made, I'm going animagi tonight, and we will get Lavender and Pavarti to leave, and Hermione, if you want to leave, you can too." Kalli stated authoritatively.

"I'm tellin' you, its not that bad, Hermione, you can stay, but I don't want to tell Lavender and Pavarti just yet." Willow told them.

"Or ever!" Kalli added, "They can't keep their mouths shut!"

Draco Malfoy, who was hiding and listening in to every word they said, had a malevolent grin on his face. He crept away and rushed to the Slytherin's Head of House, Professor Snape.

"But Albus!" Snape exclaimed. "Who do you know who wants their child going to school with a werewolf?"

"Half werewolf." Professor Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster at Hogwarts, corrected coolly as he pushed his half moon glasses higher on his nose.

"It doesn't matter," Snape roared, "She is a danger to herself and the rest of the school, I think she should be expelled immediately!"

"And that Severus, is exactly why you aren't Headmaster." Dumbledore said, solemnly.

"If I have to I will take this up with the Ministry myself Albus, don't tempt me." Snape growled.

"Good, while you are doing that you can ask for a job there as well." Dumbledore said coolly.

Snape gave a heavy sigh and stormed out of the Headmaster's office. Dumbledore sighed then also left his office.

"Willow?" A voice beckoned, Willow spun around to see a Professor, her hair in a tight bun and a pair of rectangular glasses high on her nose.

"Yes?" Willow answered.

"I am Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster, would like to see you." She said, beckoning Willow to follow her. Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Kalli all stood there for a moment to think of what Dumbledore would want with Willow.

"Well looks like Dumbledore has another favorite now, huh Harry?" Ron said nodding at Harry.

"Sod off Ron." Harry said through a grin.

"Miss Lupin," Dumbledore began before Willow cut him off.

"Please Sir, call me Willow." She said sweetly.

"Willow, yes, I am a good friend of your father" he began, "I hired him here, in what would have been your third year. I must tell you Willow, it is impressive that you had the knowledge to be about to skip right to sixth year."

"Home schooling Professor." Willow explained. "My mother taught me everything I know, got a little frustrated though when I proved to be better at it than her."

Dumbledore gave a large warm grin and continued. "Anyway, as I was saying, I hired your father here, so I have no problem with werewolves, none at all. But there are certain precautions we must take for everyone's safety."

"Yes sir." Willow said gloomily, thinking that in her first week at Hogwarts she would already be expelled. "When do I need to leave by?"

"Leave? My dear child, who said anything about leaving?" Dumbledore said quite astounded.

"I don't have to leave?" Willow said excitedly.

"Of course not, but as I said we need to take special precautions. Did your father ever tell you of the Whomping Willow?" He asked.

"Yes, just a few weeks ago, and of the house the passage leads to, and everything." Willow said confused.

"Well, I'm going to give you access to that, only when the full moon is out of course, would that be good? You can stay there with you cousin. She can animagi correct?" Dumbledore asked.

"Uh…" Willow said in shock, not knowing that Dumbledore knew her cousin could animagi. "Yeah, into a kitten."

"Smashing, she will be small enough to creep under the Willow's branches, oh that's funny, Whomping Willow, and your Willow, that is hilarious!" He said giggling and trailing off the subject. "But anyway she can go under the branches and push the knot for you, is that satisfactory?"

"Oh, yes sir!" Willow said, so overjoyed that she could stay that she found herself hugging Dumbledore.

"Oh, well dear, let's run along now, shall we?" He suggested.

"Yes sir, and thank you again."

"Oh, and dear, be sure not to abuse you animagi power, leopards can be dangerous, just be a good kitty, okay?" Dumbledore added.

Willow stood there with her mouth wide opened, looked at Dumbledore with his half moon spectacles and extremely long whitish silver hair and stammered, "Uh…yes sir." Then quickly walked out of his office and headed back to the Gryffindor common room. She came up to the painting of the fat lady and stated the Gryffindor password. "Fluffer Nutter" Then walked over to Kalli, Ron, Hermione, and Harry.

"He, he knows." Willow stated to Kalli in a shaky voice.

"Who knows?" Kalli asked.

"Professor Dumbledore." Willow answered.

"He knows what?" Kalli asked timidly.

"Everything!" Willow exclaimed. "He knows I'm half werewolf, he knows I can animagi into a leopard,"

Ron cut her off immediately, "You can what?" He asked loudly.

"I can animagi into a leopard, but that's not important now."

"That is so cool!" Ron shouted and Hermione just rolled her eyes. "Just like Kalli can animagi into a kitten."

"That's the other thing." Willow began, "He knows that too, I didn't tell him, but he knows."

"What did he say?" Kalli asked, much more alarmed.

"He said to be careful."

"What, that's all!" Ron exclaimed.

"I told you Dumbledore was cool." Harry said in an I-told-you-so voice.

"Well excuse me Mr. Potter, I don't go to his office for tea and crumpets every day." Ron said sarcastically.

"Your just jealous." Hermione said to Ron.

"You can just sod off Hermione." Ron said barely addressing her.

The next day in the late afternoon, after all lessons were done, Ron and Willow were both in poof chairs in the common room, reading their books. Kalli sat in a chair across from theirs. Hermione and Harry walked in and before anyone knew it Willow had flicked her wand, deciding to play a prank on her friends, and Kalli was in Ron's arms. Both Ron and Kalli were very stunned by this, and did not know what had just happened.

"So Ron, now you're stealing my girlfriend huh?" Harry said then quickly gasped and cupped his hands over his mouth then said, "I mean, er, my friend, my friend that's a girl, yeah that one." He then hung his head down, realizing how non-convincing this was.

"Awww, widdle 'Arry has a girlfriend, how cute!" Ron said in a voice that you would use to talk to a baby. "Harry and Kalli kissing in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-" he was immediately cut off by Kalli's hand on his mouth shutting him up. Everyone started giggling and Kalli didn't say a word about it.

Then out of no where Willow flicked her wand again and Harry was put in Ron's spot holding Kalli. Then in the same moment, Ron was put in her lap. "Oh bugger, this isn't right." She flicked her wand again and she was in her own chair with her book again, "much better."

Everyone sat there, mouths opened for a while then Harry finally piped up, "Where did you learn that?"

"From my Mum." She answered as if everyone should have known that. "She taught me everything I know, really got to her when I got better at it than her, my dad's blood I guess. People always saying what an incredible wizard he is and was. He could animagi by the age of thirteen. Kalli you learned at what, nine?"

"Yeah, nine" Kalli answered.

"I learned at nine also, learned to Apparate and Disapparate at five though." Willow added.

"There is no way!" Ron exclaimed, "My brother, Percy, he is nineteen and he just learned. Besides, you can't, you don't have you license."

"Wanna bet." Willow said with a grin on her face. She then disapparated up to her dormitory then almost immediately apparated back, right in front of them. "Here, this is my license."

She handed Ron a piece of plastic like material with a smiling and moving picture of her on it. It was indeed an Apparation license.

"Well I'll say…" Ron said as everyone looked over his shoulder at it. Just then Willow's owl, Featherbrain, flew into the common room window. It was a fluffy light gray, dark gray, and black tawny. He landed gently on her shoulder as she stood up, and affectionately nibbled her ear. She untied the roll of parchment from the large owl's foot.

"It's from Pop." Willow said excitedly.

The letter read:

__

Dearest daughter,

I must let you know, Lucious Malfoy and Severus Snape are teaming up to get you expelled for who you are, but mainly for who I am. I'm coming to Hogwarts as soon as possible to help you handle this, tell Kalli I'm coming. I will be arriving at noon on Friday. Please hang in there until I arrive. I heard Ol' Dumbledore is letting you use the Whomping Willow, we will talk more in person, see you soon love.

Love

Your Dad, Remus

"Dad's coming!" Willow exclaimed.

"Awesome!" Ron and Harry cried at the same time.

"This is smashing, Uncle Remus is coming!" Kalli said enthusiastically.

"Cool." Hermione said, also excited.

"You don't know anything Willow!" Hermione exclaimed. When they heard the yelling, Kalli and Harry both ran down to the empty common room, everyone was already asleep. They found Ron, Willow and Hermione all there. Hermione was yelling so loudly that the room was almost shaking.

"Hermione, you like Ron, its okay." Willow said coolly.

"I most certainly do not!" Hermione yelled. "Ron is just a bumbling git."

Harry took a seat next to Ron and asked what was going on. "I don't know but they seem to be fighting over me, this is so cool!" Ron said gleefully as he shrugged and continued to watch the girls.

"You are just a Bloody Buggery Werewolf!" Hermione yelled, as everyone gasped.

"A bloody buggery what?" Willow asked coolly.

"You heard me." Hermione growled.

"That's what I thought." Willow said, then with a flick of her wand, Hermione was a gerbil. She just sat there for a second then let out a series of loud squeaks that very much resembled Hermione when she is in person and in a foul mood.

"Smashing!" Ron exclaimed.

Harry and Kalli were just completely awe struck. Ron looked down at the furiously squeaking gerbil and said, "So I'm a bumbling git huh? Oh Crookshanks." He called Hermione's rodent hating cat, Hermione then let out a very loud and high pitched squeak then ran as fast as she could and hid under a couch.

"Turn her back, fun is fun, but I think she learned a lesson." Harry said through a broad grin. Willow suddenly got a very evil grin on her face, which with her pointed teeth, looked even worst, as Kalli picked up Crookshanks.

"Alright, no problem." Then with another flick of her wand Hermione was back to normal, but with one problem, she was still under the couch.

"Ouch." Hermione groaned in a low voice.

"Willow." Kalli said disapprovingly. Willow then lifted the couch with her wand so it levitated ten feet in the air, then just after Hermione moved from under it, she let it fall.

"Willow, tonight is a full moon, you are a little more deviant when the moon is full, and you are evil enough as is, so from now on, you and I are definitely going to the Whomping Willow on full moons."

Willow just smiled and gave Hermione and apologetic look, then headed off to her dormitory.

"That was so cool!" Ron exclaimed, Hermione turned to him, her hair completely tousled and her face very red. She gave him a look that could melt stone, then she too ran up to her dormitory. Everyone else soon followed.

"Papa!" Willow squealed.

"Hi darling, how are you?" Remus asked his daughter.

"Smashing daddy, how are you, aren't you tired?" Willow asked concern in her voice.

"I'm a little wiped out, but I'll be fine." He reassured her.

"So what is going on? The Ministry is trying to have me expelled?"

"No, Lucious Malfoy is trying to have you expelled. Snape too, but that's a whole 'nother story." He said shaking his head slightly.

"So I see you have fallen into a good crowd dear." Remus said looking over to Harry, Kalli, Ron, and Hermione. "Kalli dear, how are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine uncle, you know, you could have told me about Willow."

"I know, but I thought it better that you two meet on your own terms." Remus stated. "So Kalli, are you going to animagi with Willow and keep her company?"

"Of course." She said as if she would have it no other way. "After last night, we are definitely going under the Whomping Willow."

Willow began to blush when her father asked, "What happened."

"She turned me into a gerbil." Hermione stated loudly, as if still mad about it. Remus gave out a loud chuckle and everyone else laughed as well, even Hermione herself cracked a small smile.

"A gerbil huh?" Remus said through laughs as he looked at his daughter.

"Yeah," Willow said with a hint of embarrassment in her voice.

"Your lucky she didn't animagi into a leopard and chase you for a while." Remus said while broadly grinning.

"I was going to but I can't animagi when it is a full moon." Willow responded.

"Oh Yeah." Remus said with a thoughtful look on his face. "So, Kalli, are you going to push the knot on the Willow?"

"Uh-huh, We already talked about that." Kalli replied.

"Smashing, you know, you are named after that tree." Remus said to Willow.

"Great named after a bloody tree." Willow said jokingly and everyone laughed.

"I'm going to go talk to Dumbledore, see all of you later." Remus said as he got up and left through the painting.

"So I heard you turned Granger into a Gerbil last night did you." Draco Malfoy said as he slid into a vacant chair by Willow. "Good to know you're on the right side of the fence when it comes to those Mudbloods. Makes up for the whole werewolf thing." He said flashing her a smile and trying to be charming.

"So you're the one that told Snape?" She asked angrily.

"I didn't mean to, I was making conversation with him. And it just slipped out. Believe me, with me on your side, you won't be expelled, my father listens to my every word." He said proudly.

"Well Draco, seems like I have a new friend." She said sweetly to him. All of the others mouths gaped opened, not believing what they were hearing.

"I'll talk to you later then." He said, smiling broadly as he walked off, and for the first time he was not accompanied by his thugs Crabbe or Goyle.

"What on earth was that?" Ron asked, very alarmed.

"What is the point of buggery lil gits like that if you don't use them?" Willow pointed out. Everyone smiled and giggled then started to eat breakfast. Willow got up and walked over to Hermione. "I'm really sorry about last night Hermione, that wasn't me, I know you don't like me, but that, in the common room, wasn't me. So I just wanted to say I'm sorry." Willow was not sure if what she said fell on deaf ears, but she hoped Hermione was listening to her.

"All right, draw your wand!" Severus Snape screamed at Remus Lupin.

"Severus, I'm not getting into a duel with you." Remus replied.

"What's going on here gentlemen?" They hear the voice of Cornelius Fudge, the Head of the Ministry.

"Uh..." Snape stammered, "Absolutely nothing Minister, Mr. Lupin and I are just having a disagreement, that's all."

"Yeah, that's what it looks like all right." Dumbledore said in a sardonic voice. "Severus, drop your wand."

"But, Professor, a werewolf, at Hogwarts!" Snape screamed. "It's unthinkable!"

"Severus, it isn't he first time." Dumbledore said cooly. "If you don't remember, which I'm sure you do, Mr. Lupin here is one as well." He said with a slight chuckle. "And it won't be the last time either."

"I've discussed it with the Ministry, and we all agree that it is quite alright for Miss Lupin to stay here." Mr. Fudge added.

"But she turned a student into a gerbil!" Snape roared.

"Was anyone hurt?" Fudge questioned.

"Well, no, but!" Snape protested.

"Then there isn't a problem here." Dumbledore said forcefully. "Everyone is excused." He said as he glared at Snape. Severus Snape stormed out of the room in a rage. Dumbledore smiled at Remus then left the room with Fudge.

"That went smashingly." He thought as he walked down the long corridor to the Great Hall.

"What the..." Kalli's voice trailed off as she looked up at the Professor's Table. "What is Uncle Remus doing up there?" With that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Willow all looked at the long table in front of them.

"Uh...I dunno, I'll go see." Willow offered as she got up and headed to go talk to her father. They all watched her; she talked to Remus for about five minutes. When she came back, she had on a very broad grin.

"What?" Harry asked. However, all Willow did was smile until everyone in unison asked, "What?"

"Dumbledore offered Dad the Defense Against the Dark Arts job again, and he took it!" She said excitedly.

"No way! That is so cool!" Ron yelled.

"Uncle Remus is back?" Kalli asked.

"Uh-huh, it's true." Willow said, still beaming.

"When does he start?" Harry inquired.

"Next week, Dad and I are going to go to the shrieking shack on the full moon, and Kalli if you wanna come you can too." Willow continued.

"I'd love too, I still can't believe Uncle Remus is here." Kalli answered.

"But see, I knew Dad was coming all along." Willow said matter-of-factly.

"And how would you know that?" Ron asked.

"Animal Instincts." Willow replied.


	3. Animal Instincts

****

Animal Instincts

Ron Weasley came bumbling down the staircase that led to the boy's dormitory. Sleepily, he stumbled to the fire and took a seat on one of the large squishy armchair. Through half opened eyes he saw something breathing in front of the fireplace. Alarmed, he opened his eyes completely to see a leopard and a kitten lying peacefully cuddling in the orange glow of the warm fire. He sighed in relief, the leopard slowly got up, stretched, then gave a long yawn, exposing each of its razor sharp teeth.

"Hey Willow." Ron said sleepily. Suddenly, the leopard had turned into a sixteen-year-old girl. She was tall with long blonde hair and brilliant violet eyes.

"Top of the morning to you Ron!" Willow Lupin said cheerfully. Then just as suddenly as she had turned back into herself, the small calico kitten turned back into another sixteen-year-old girl. She had long curly black hair and ice blue eyes.

"'Ello Ron." Said Kalli Damia, equally as tired.

"Hi Kalli, so Willow, what puts you in such a good mood?" Ron inquired.

"Nothing like a night of sleeping in front of an open fire to really perk a person up." Willow said cheerily.

She pulled herself up, then immediately plopped down onto another squishy armchair, next to the one Ron was sitting in. Putting her feet on one arm of the chair and her head on the other arm of the chair she stretched and wiggled somewhat catlike until she got perfectly comfortable, then gave a deep sigh and closed her eyes.

"Well we know whose the morning person here now don't we?" Ron said sarcastically.

"Sod off Ron." Willow said calmly with her eyes still shut.

Kalli got to her feet as well, went right over to Willow, and plopped herself right on her stomach. Willow grimaced and gave a slight groan.

"Oye! Get Off!" She yelled in a muffled voice from underneath her cousin.

Ron smirked at the sight of the girls, rolled his eyes, and shook his head superiorly. Harry came down the staircase skipping a few steps then stumbling as he came to the bottom, which he obviously did not see. He walked over to Ron, gave a nod of recognition, then walked over to sit where the girls were still awkwardly piled.

"Oh I see, now you're dumping me for your cousin, this is great!" Harry said in an exasperated tone to Kalli making a ticking noise with his tongue.

"Well, well, what does that say about you Harry Potter? Your girlfriend dumps you for another girl and her cousin nonetheless. This is purely classic!" Ron exclaimed.

Harry flashed him a 'Thanks Ron' look, then he suddenly picked up Kalli, then out of no where, Willow disapparated from the chair and apparated into Ron's lap. Harry nodded gratefully at Willow, then sat down in the vacant chair. Ron looked at Willow with a look of slight surprise, but pure happiness.

"They are so cute." Willow giggled to Ron.

"Uh-huh." He said without even looking at Harry and Kalli. He was only half paying attention to what she was saying and more paying attention to her.

Kalli and Willow walked down the staircase from the girls dormitory together. Willow strolled through the corridor into the middle of the deserted common room. She entered the common room from the stair case and began to quicken pace as she narrowed in on the Fat Lady Painting. When she got to the middle of the common room, she tripped over a large lump on the floor. She did an amazing areole in mid air then did a face plant into the floor.

"Ow, bugger!" Willow exclaimed. "What was that bloody thing."

Kalli Damia stood there, Willow looked up at her to see that she was staring at the floor about two feet away from her sprawled cousin. Willow sat up to the best of her ability, she looked at the spot that her cousin was consumed in. Her mouth flung opened and she gasped audibly.

On the floor was a very large lion. The lion was next to an also large ostrich with a tiny blue sparrow perched on its head. Kalli and Willow both flung themselves backwards and hit opposite walls.

"What are they, who are they...Oh Bugger!" Kalli exclaimed.

"I...Uh...Er...They, us, we," Willow began to stutter, "AAAUUUGGHHH!" She screamed loudly.

"Willow, get a hold of yourself! They have to be someone, Hello In There!" She said into the lions yawning mouth.

Suddenly the lion animagi'd back into Harry Potter, Kalli's boyfriend. Then just as soon, the ostrich turned into Ron Weasley, and the tiny blue sparrow turned into Hermione Granger. Willow and Kalli's mouths both hung opened, Harry was the one break the long silence.

"You didn't think we were going to let you have all the fun, did you?" Harry said smiling at the girls, who were still in shock.

"How...did...you...learn?" Willow said as best she could.

"Animal Instincts Will, animal instincts!" Ron said matter-of-factly.

"Very funny Ron, we're serious!" Kalli demanded.

"We learned by books, lots of books! We have been teaching ourselves ever since the beginning of fifth year, when Kalli came along. And well now, now we have perfected it. Not as well as you have, Miss I've-been-doing-it-since-I-was-five." Ron said referring to Willow and Kalli.

"Just because we are better at animagi than you doesn't mean you should be jealous, oh wait, maybe it does." Willow said to the rest of the gang with a maniacal grin on her face. Obviously she had gotten over the shock and returned to her sarcastic, witty self.

Clicking his tongue Harry said, "Well that silence didn't last long did it?"

Kalli and Willow both glared at him. Harry smiled slightly and mouthed a 'sorry'. Willow got a look about her as if she was struck in the head with a sludge hammer. She started hooting, hollering, and jumping up and down.

"That's it, she is absolutely bonkers!" Ron said with a smile on his face.

Willow gave a very exasperated sigh then rolled her eyes at him. "Ron, do you have any idea how fun this could be? All of us, animals! Not very inconspicuous animals I may add, but animals nonetheless. We could do anything we want to!"

"Uno Probelmo Willow," Ron said, amused with his own rhyme, "Dumbledore knew you and Kalli could animagi, I guarantee you he knows we can."

Everyone looked stumped at this, except for Willow of course. She, as it seemed, always had an idea, whether it be a good one or a bad one. Willow just stood there and grinned, until everyone noticed her grinning and occasional sighs. "What is it?" Harry finally asked.

"You people, really!" Willow exclaimed. "If Dumbledore knows we can animagi, he isn't dumb, that's funny, dumb, Dumbledore. Hehe, But anyway, he knows we're going to use our powers, geez, he would probably tell us to use them. Do you really think he is going to do anything about it?" Then she continued, "I mean bloody bugger, let's do something, explore, make some mischief, anything!"

Everyone looked rather pessimistic at this proposal. Until Harry got a mischievous look himself, "Well ladies and gents, it looks like we have ourselves a group of second generation Marauder's!"

"Smashing idea Harry!" Ron exclaimed. As Kalli leaned over and gave Harry a kiss, obviously voicing her opinion.

Harry looked at Ron who was obviously trying to figure something out in his head. "Okay so we have the famous Harry Potter, the would-be dark mistress Kalli Damia, Willow Lupin…werewolf, 'nough said. Then we have Hermione Granger, a Muggle born genius, then we have me, Ron Weasley, Wow, I feel important!"

"Oh Ron, you know we love you." Willow said reassuringly.

"Speak for yourself!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Thanks Herm!" Ron said, obviously trying to annoy her.

Hermione got slightly red, scowled at Ron and said in a low growl sort of voice, "Don't call me that."

Ron flashed a broad grin, but when Hermione did not return it, he quickly wiped it from his face. Kalli and Willow giggled. "We really should be getting to bed shouldn't we." Ron stated to the group.

"I agree." Willow added, then she disapparated into the girl's dorm room, or that is what everyone hoped.

Ron shook his head noticeably as he stated, "I hate it when she does that." Everyone giggled and then headed to their dorms.

Kalli and Hermione got to their dorm, which they shared with Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, and Willow Lupin. Lavender and Parvati were on Lavender's bed with the maroon drapes shut tightly around the large four poster bed. Willow was foraging through her dark wood and golden trunk, tossing things through the air as she searched. "What are you looking for?" Kalli demanded.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing." Willow muttered under her breath. She further foraged for something unknown to Kalli and Hermione. "I found it!" She exclaimed as she pulled a small piece of parchment out of her trunk. She had said it so loudly that she suddenly had Lavender and Parvati's nosy eyes upon her, she immediately held the piece of parchment to her chest and glared at them. They then pulled the drapes shut once more and continued gossiping.

"Uh, Willow? How could you find something you weren't even looking for?" Kalli asked giving Willow a wondering look.

"I was looking for something, and I found it!" Willow said, yet again stating the obvious.

"Well thank you, that answers all of our questions! What is it?" Kalli said sarcastically as Hermione just stood there with an agreeing look on her face. Even since Willow turned her into a gerbil one of the first weeks she was there, Hermione made it a habit not to say anything to majorly offend her.

Willow got her usual maniacal grin on her face then slowly began humming and swaying. She then began chanting, " Sight fades out, fool the eyes, give forth the image, live the lives." in a sing-song voice. Then beginning from her feet, she began to disappear. Then after no time at all, her entire body had disappeared. Kalli reached out and touched the air where Willow had been, then she heard a very familiar giggle. "Stop, that tickles!" Cried Willow's voice.

Hermione gasped at the thought of air talking. "Willow?" Hermione asked, quite unsure.

"Yeah?" Willow said normally.

Kalli eyed the spot where Willow had been standing suspiciously, "Since when could you chant?"

"Since Uncle Remus, I mean Daddy, Daddy told me some of Lily's chants, I'm not incredible at them, but I'm not too bad, I do need someone to help me perfect them though, and teach me some new ones of course, right Kalli? Hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink."

"Oh no, that's not obvious Will!" Kalli said sarcastically, flashing Willow a broad grin.

Willow returned it then asked Kalli, "So how 'bout it Kal?"

Kalli gave a fake sigh then said, "Well if I have too!"

Willow flung herself at Kalli and wrapped her arms around her cousin's middle. "Thank you, thank you!" She cried to Kalli.

"No problem Will, but you really do have to stop keeping stuff this important from me. And will you please become visible again?" She said trying to glare at the place where Willow would be, but knowing Willow, she would be moving on purpose.

"Fine, it's right here, in my...uh...in my pocket." She said quite thoughtfully.

"Oh Will, Oh you didn't, you do know what that means don't you?" Kalli exclaimed trying to be quiet and nonchalant, but failing miserably.

"I didn't mean too, I thought I had put a copy of it in my drawer. Bugger!" She answered Kalli. "Well, I guess it's time for me to send an owl to Uncle Re-, I mean Daddy."

"Well I would guess so!" Kalli said, getting slightly angry at her stupidity, but still trying to conceal smiling out of exasperation.

Hermione just stared at the spot where Willow should have been. Then she reluctantly said, "I will go look up anything I can in the library."

Willow, staring at Hermione, even though no one else knew, "Thank you." She said also reluctantly.

The three girls scattered, Hermione to the library, Kalli to see Professor McGonagall, and Willow to the owlery. Willow walked through the heavy door to the owlery, she scanned the shelves of owls, Harry's great white snow owl, Ron's little ball of feather's Pigwidgeon, and the Willow's large dark gray, light gray, and black tawny, named Featherbrain. She walked toward the owl with a piece of parchment rolled up in her hand. She softly stroked the sleeping owl, it immediately opened its big green eyes, did not see anything, squawked loudly, then took off toward the rafters. "Featherbrain!" she screamed after the owl, "Get back here! It's me, come Feth, please baby!" She pleaded with the owl.

Featherbrain skittishly approached his master. Willow picked up some hay in her invisible hand. Featherbrain tried to land where Willow's arm should be. After missing about three times he made it onto the outstretched arm. "Good boy, good boy." Willow cooed to the owl. She quickly tied the parchment onto Featherbrain's thick leg, when she was done Featherbrain spread his extremely long wings and took off through the window.

"Willow, are you in awake, actually, are you even in bed?" Kalli called over to Willow's bed.

"I'm sort of in bed." Willow said from Kalli's bed, right beside her cousin. Kalli screamed loudly, feel out of bed, grabbing her maroon drapes hanging around her bed, and pulling them off of her four-posted bed. "Sorry Kal!" Willow apologized profusely.

"Don't…do…that…to…me!" Kalli said quietly. Looking at her cousin curiously, "Willow, your reappearing!" She said excitedly. Willow was a very light color white, still very transparent, and very hollow.

"Smashing!" Willow exclaimed.

Kalli squinted to see Willow better, "Well at least we can kinda see you now." She said not to sure if her cousin was visible enough to be classified as seeable. "Come on, let's go to breakfast."

Ron looked up and down their section of the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. "Hey, where's Willow?" He asked eyeing Hermione and Kalli.

"I'm right here." Said an apparently vacant seat next to Kalli. "I had a mishap with an invisibility chant."

"What happened?" Ron asked seriously.

Kalli looked at the spot where Willow was, and could tell from the slight bit of her that she could see that she was quite embarrassed. "She did an invisibility chant, but left the counterchant in her pocket at the time, so until Uncle Remus sends us an owl with the reversing spell, our Willow is going to very, very slowly come back to visibility."

"Until she is half visible, when that happens she will become instantly fully visible, because this is the first time she tried that chant, it isn't very powerful." Hermione added in, then when she noticed the looks of no one knowing where she could have possible have gotten that information she added, "I went to the library."

"How long will that take?" Harry asked quietly.

"About a month and a half according to the books." Hermione replied raising her eyebrows worriedly at the bad news she just brought.

"So what your saying is that Willow turned herself invisible, and can't become visible again until Uncle Remus's owl arrives?" Ron asked seriously.

When Kalli and Hermione both replied with "Uh-huh" in unison, Harry laughed so hard that he nearly had a steady stream of pumpkin juice coming out of his nose.

Harry and Ron both stared hard at the chair where Willow was, squinting to see her better, then breaking the silence Ron said, "Oh, now I see her, a really clear, milky transparent...you know, she's almost looks like a ghost."

"Well thanks Ron!" Willow exclaimed, looking down at herself, the disdain on her face shown that she could not see herself either. "Should we go check the owlery?"

"Willow, you just sent the owl, it won't be here yet, wait a little while." Kalli said soothingly.

"You aren't the one that is invisible!" She roared, "I would like to be able to be seen by the time I graduate!"

Kalli sighed and gave Willow a would-be comforting look, if Willow didn't know her cousin was really trying to work out how on earth to turn her back to normal. Kalli looked apprehensively toward the windows in the Great Hall, hoping beyond hope that the storm would have passed by now. But as she suspected, it was still raging outside as a gall wind was roaring outside. It could take a week or more for Remus's response to get back to them, she only hoped it would take as little time as possible. Having an invisible cousin was a rather disturbing event. Not to mention the comments that she would get from the rest of her classmates. For the most part the Slytherin's let Willow be, because of Malfoy's obvious infatuation with her.

But Kalli cringed when she thought of what Pansy Parkinson would have to say about the beautiful fifth year turning herself invisible. Pansy Parkinson, a pug-faced fifth year girl that led the meanest group of Slytherin girls in their taunting of mainly Hermione as well as Harry. Both of whom in their fourth year were said to be "going out", at least in Rita Skeeper's, a very nasty and crude reporter's, inaccurate opinion. When Hermione was particularly rude to her she had a nasty bit written in _Witch's Weekly_ about her, accusing her of leaving Harry for Vicktor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker and a Durmstrang student, and breaking his painstakingly warm heart. This in turn led to Hermione receiving a sufficient amount of hate mail.

Willow did not seem to hot and bothered by the recent events, but she did, of course, want to be visible again.

Days passed as Willow moped around the school hopelessly furthering peoples suspicions that she had died but refused to stop attending lessons. After Kalli literally ran into Willow, for what seemed the hundredth time in the meager few days since her mishap, Willow sighed deeply and said exasperatedly, "Why did dad have to take a month at home before he came to teach here, this would be so much easier if he was here."

Kalli looked at her sympathetically then sighed as well, "Well," she began, "he had to collect his things and take care of unfinished business, you know that, I'm sure we'll hear from him soon thought." She finished un surely.

"Yeah, whatever." Willow darkly uttered, unnaturally coldly for the otherwise cheerful and perky teenager. Other students had started to notice her absence, and then just as they noticed that they began to notice she wasn't absent, but just transparent. So of course the jokes and mocking began almost immediately, but Draco, ever infatuated with her, held Crabbe and Goyle obediently quiet, but he himself didn't so much as ask if she was oh-kay, for his reputation was still on the line if he dared to converse with her, a die-hard Gryffindor.

The after only three days Willow's mood turned from depresses ,sour about her situation, to her very perky self, "So Willow, what lead to this turn around?" Harry inquired.

"Well, lets just say I discovered that no matter what every situation has some good." Willow stated, grinning malevolently.

"Uh, Will, what would this good be?" Ron questioned carefully, not sure of the answer.

Willow's smile grew and she began to giggle, "Well, you know, for one, like the fact that I never would have guesses a girl as big as Pansy Parkinson could screech in such a way. Or, oh this one's good, that Crabbe and Goyle make almost the identical thud when they fall flat on there fat faces. And I never would have guessed that Snape would…" Ron cut her off, as usual.

"Whoa, wait a minute, you played a trick on Snape, of all people Willow, have you gone batty." Ron asked in sheer disbelief, "and another thing, are you serious?"

"Well, not completely, but I can pretend can't I?" Willow added slyly. Everyone stared at where she appeared to be as the utter realization hit them of what havoc she had been causing all around the school.

"I should have known all along Willow, I knew it would only be a matter of time before you figured out how to make this the most fun week of your stay at Hogwarts." Kalli slipped in matter-of-factly.

"Yep, of course, but anyway, I'm going to go to bed, you coming Kalli?" She inquired.

Kalli thought for a moment then glanced at Harry, "Yeah, I'm coming up." She decided.

"I'm going to go to the owlery and check one more time before bed, Remus's letter should come any time now, and if we can get her visible by breakfast that's one less day we have to deal with the likes of Pansy." Hermione yelled as she scurried out of the common room.

The two girls walked up their staircase after bidding the guys goodnight, as soon as the door was shut Willow began rummaging through her trunk apparently looking for something frantically once again.

"What are you looking for _now_ Will?" Kalli exasperatedly asked

"I swear Kalli, I just have to check one more time, I swear I put it in this trunk, I just know I did." Willow said close to tears.

Kalli's concern grew quickly, "Willow, his letter will be here any moment now, you know that as well as I do, so just calm down, only another day or two."

Willow rounded on Kalli, her eyes glowing, "No Kalli, not this time, your not the one that's invisible here, oh-kay, I am, and I am going to look for it until I find it even if it kills me." Kalli was thrown backwards by the ferocity of Willow's words, magic seemed to emulate from her voice, forcing her cousin to the floor, as she was pulling herself back to her feet she noticed a small piece of crumpled parchment on the floor between her trunk and her bed side table.

"Um…Willow…" Kalli began excitement rising in her throat as she picked up the small piece of paper.

Still throwing her personal affects around the room Willow savagely replied, "Not now."

"No Willow, I really think you need to, um, read this." Kalli announced shoving the piece of parchment under her cousin's nose.

"But, how, where, Oh my gosh, it couldn't have been, where did you find this?" Willow shouted excitedly.

Pointing Kalli pronounced, "Right over there." Quietly as if stunned with the girls good fortune.

Just as they were about to hug each other, or try at least, Hermione came tearing into the room like a hurricane, "It came! It came! Willow, Willow, it finally came! Remus's letter, this is it right here!" She shouted as she slid to a haul by the girls, Willow immediately threw the piece of parchment behind the curtains and gave Kalli a 'Don't tell Hermione' look.

They opened the letter and all read together, Remus scorned her slightly for her irresponsibility, but Willow could tell he was laughing the whole time he wrote it. The letter's most important feature was a short Haiku, the chant, it read:

Sight comes back, remind of the way, regain what you lack, live for the day

Willow read this as she swayed and hummed, and slowly but surely she became visible once again, to the relief of everyone.

Hermione stared hard at Willow, "Willow are you crying?" she asked sweetly.

"Are you kidding Hermione…" Kalli began, "my cousin cry, hah, that's just the animal in her eyes."


	4. The Animal in the Eyes

****

The Animal in Your Eyes

"I'm late, I'm late, bloody hell I'm late again, McGonagall's going to kill me, out of my way!" Willow screeched, half talking to herself, half talking to everyone else around her. She ran quickly, looking down as she thought up a million and one excuses that would never work, "I'm sorry professor my alarm didn't...no...But I thought today was Herbology so I was all the way out at the greenhou-...no, that won't work either, think, think! Professor, wouldn't ya know it but Hagrid stopped me in the hall and _had _to tell me about his-, OW!"

She was abruptly stopped from her "excuse making" when she ran head-long into another student. He was tall, with neat brown hair and vibrantly blue eyes, but right now he was sprawled on the hall floor with Willow, whom was in what appeared to be a rather uncomfortable position with her face planted firmly on the stone floor. He got up first, took her gently by her shoulder's and lifted her to a standing position once again. She attempted to recompose herself, an effort which grew exponentially difficult once she saw how striking he was. "I am terribly sorry, I was in such a rush to get to Transfiguration, McGonagall is going to kill me." She stated awkwardly as she attempted to straighten her cloak as her ever-growing hair encroaching around her face, threatening suffocation.

"No worries dear, by the way, my names Dameon Pierce, I just got here and was on my way to Transfiguration as well, you wouldn't happen to want to, escort me so to say?" His voice was melodious, flowing sweetly as he talked to her. He brushed a stray lock of wild hair out of her face. Not only was he sweet and gentle, but also extremely handsome, that's it, she had decided, Willow was in love, well maybe not really, but she could hope.

"Ah...absolutely, I mean, I would love to, you know what, coming to think of it, you could be just the excuse I need. So follow me, and act lost." She said, concocting her excuse in her head this time.

"That should be quite easy, I was lost, lucky I ran into... well, not pun intended, lucky I ran into you, or I think I would have missed my first lesson. And if I may say without offending you, I am very glad you ran so late, I might not have met you otherwise." He expressed this in a way that Willow thought he would have been almost embarrassed but he retained every once of composure that could be expected from someone that was just plowed down by a striking sixteen-year-old girl.

They walked very slowly to Professor McGonagall's class, getting to know one another, and seeing as Willow was involved, flirting shamelessly of course. As they approached the door Willow turned on him, "Ok now, I need you to just follow along, I have everything worked out, so just play along, ok?" She asked convincingly.

"Um...I guess, but are you planning on telling me what your going to tell her?" He asked stupidly.

"Uh...no, wasn't planning on it, you will know soon enough, just play along, ok?" She said hurriedly, McGonagall could see them any minute.

"Yeah, Ok, You are quite intriguing Willow, I just thought you should know that." He told her, shaking his head slightly and laughing under his breath.

"Well, thanks." Willow said concisely taking it the only way she knew how, as a compliment.

She reluctantly opened the door to see Professor McGonagall glaring at her, "Well Miss Lupin, I believe we have a new record for inconsiderate punctuality, I have not had a student dare to come in my class this late in seven years since the Potion's lab exploded and student's were everywhere." She alleged coldly, as Willow grimaced at the thought of students everywhere. "Well do you have even a remotely valid excuse or are you just late?" Professor McGonagall asked impatiently.

"Well professor," Willow began expertly, inhaling a large breathe. If there was anything she was good at it was excuse making and story telling, she was in luck, "I was coming though the hallways running from the common room, far before the last chime sounded, and I ran into (she suppressed a giggle) Dameon here, and found out he was on his way to the same class as I was, but this was only after we deciphered his schedule, you know how impossible those things are, then we _finally _figured out where this wonderful young man was supposed to be going, and as you can imagine, by then, we were dreadfully late. So we hurried as fast as we could, and still only managed to make it to you by right now. So as you can see Professor, I had no choice but to help him, my manners had to go to one cause or another, and aiding a fellow student seemed to be of such importance, I could not, with an untainted conscience, do anything but help him."

"Well aren't we the good samaritan, do you give that sort of stuff to your father, cause I am willing to bet he wouldn't accept a load like that, take your seat Miss Lupin, you too Mister Pierce, and be prepared to catch up on what you missed." Professor McGonagall retorted sarcastically to the teenagers, whom both immediately scurried to the back of the room and took a seat next to one another.

"Well that certainly was an interesting Transfiguration class," Kalli began, "McGonagall was fuming at you two. By the way I'm Kalli Willow's cousin, and this is Ron, Hermione, and Harry, my boyfriend." She added, pointing to all of them in turn an making Harry blush slightly.

"So mate, have you been sorted into a house yet?" Harry posed, the thought just hitting everyone else as well, they were all Gryffindor's, die-hard one's to boot, and to Willow the thought of her new friend joining any other house but hers was destroying, and the thought of him in Slytherin was simply unthinkable.

"Not just yet actually, I'm supposed to go to Dumbledore's office now and have the hat sort me, thought he was batty at first when he said that, then I saw the hat and let's just say it made a believer out of me." Daemon explained cooly, Willow raptly attentive. "Anyway, I should be heading off, I will make sure to stop by the Gryffindor common room regardless and let you know the news." He voiced to everyone, the turned to Willow, "I'll see you then, right?" He said as she squeezed her arm lightly.

Struck by his affection, "Uh…yeah, of course I'll see you there, buh byes then." At this he strolled of towards Dumbledore's office. The rest of the group turned in the other direction and headed toward the Gryffindor common room to go change into their evening cloths and get ready for a night of homework and possibly Exploding Snaps.

After returning to their dormitory Willow threw herself onto her four-posted bed and sighed deeply, Kalli mentally agreed with her by voicing what Willow was obviously thinking. "He's _so_ cute!"

"He's absolutely heavenly Kalli, and the nicest guy in the entire world." Willow said in a dreamy voice.

"Now Willow, don't let me lose you to the dream world just yet, we still have Transfiguration homework, probably thanks to you and your absolute need to flirt, so come on, lets go into the common room and get it done with." Kalli instructed her cousin.

Willow heaved another heavy sigh then finally agreed and the two girls reluctantly headed down to the common room together to finish their load of homework.

"You know Willow, that story you gave McGonagall was quite interesting, entertaining might I say. But I would like to know what you were doing out of class so long with that boy." Ron supposed suspiciously.

Willow cocked and eyebrow at him and stated, "I was having an intelligent conversation, something not to common with you in the room." She finished with a broad grin to let Ron know she was _completely _kidding.

Ron simply rolled his eyes and continued quizzing Harry on the procedure to transfigure a top hat into a rabbit. Suddenly the portrait hole swung open and Dameon entered the Gryffindor common room. He walked straight through everyone's stares and over to the group of Willow, Hermione, Kalli, Harry, and Ron. He got comfortable in the chair next to Willow. "Well?" Willow asked, breaking the silence that came with his entrance.

"Well I have some bad news." Dameon stated somberly. Willow averted her eyes to the floor, she knew it was too good to be true. "You all are going to have to live with me for the rest of our time here at Hogwarts." He said through a toothful grin.

"Congrats chap!" Ron said clapping him on the back.

"The Hat must have liked you." Harry added in kiddingly.

Kalli patted him on the shoulder and she and Hermione both gave him their congratulations. Willow didn't say anything but as she caught Dameon's eyes she gave him a huge grin and looked away shyly.

It was a beautiful Saturday morning on the Hogwarts ground, the sun was shining, a cool breeze was blowing, and best of all there were no lessons. All the students sat either basking in the afternoon sun by the lake or playing games under one of the grounds numerous trees.

Willow and Dameon sat under a tree near Kalli, Harry, and Ron. Hermione was in the Gryffindor common studying as usual, apparently she was completely convinced there would be a huge test in Herbology on Monday.

"So, are you ticklish?" Willow asked not waiting to get and answer and immediately poking Dameon in his side, making him pull away laughing.

"Shameless aren't they." Ron said to Kalli and Harry, shaking his head. Kalli just giggled and Harry rolled his eyes, knowing that Ron's immense absorption in Willow and Dameon was due to Willow's attention being diverted to another person, even though Ron knew he liked someone else.

"So," Dameon began, "you live with your dad now, professor Lupin, and so does Kalli."

"Exactly, and you live just outside of London with your Mum and Dad and little sister, right?" Willow asked, a little unsure.

"Right."

"So, do you have a girlfriend back in London, or are you the uncommitted type?" Willow asked, cocking one eyebrow and trying to be as nonchalant as possible.

"Well the answer would be no, and no. I don't have a girlfriend, and I am not the uncommitted type, not all guys without girlfriends are afraid of commitment." Dameon corrected matter-of-factly.

"Oh, well I just figured guys as good looking as you may be afraid to commit if they haven't already been taken." Willow said, a hint of embarrassment in her usually confident voice.

"Well maybe I just haven't found a girl I've liked enough, I do have to say I'm a little picky when it comes to girls." Dameon said giving Willow a debonair grin.

Monday came all to quickly, and they soon found themselves in Divination, a class hated by all. Willow and Kalli climbed their way up the ladder closely followed by Ron, Harry, and Dameon.

"Now we do have to warn you Dameon, this is not what you would call, an interesting class, even though Professor Trewlawney is quite interesting, and she isn't what you would call, well, a professor." Kalli warned only half jokingly.

Kalli and Willow sat together at a small table next to Dameon, Ron, and Harry.

"Hello class," Professor Trelawney began, "Today we will be analyzing dreams, I want you to pair up and tell each other about your most recent memorable dream, spare no details, the more in depth we look into our sub conscious, the better chance we have of completely understanding it's many facets. Also, we have a new student, Dameon Pierce has joined us, would a more experienced student like to pair up with Dameon to help him catch up?"

Willow's eyes shot upward from her dazed focal point on the wall, she caught Dameon's sight, "Professor, I can pair up with Willow, surely she knows what she is doing." Dameon suggested, Professor Trelawney nodded to show her approval.

"He obviously doesn't know Willow." Ron whispered jokingly to Harry.

Willow scowled at Ron and Harry then turned to Dameon, "I would love to help you out, you can be paired with both of us." Willow said indicating to herself as well as her cousin Kalli.

"Wait, wait, wait, how come he gets to be paired with both of you and I am stuck with Ron?" Harry questioned heatedly.

"Because he doesn't doubt my ability, unlike some people." Willow said continuing her scowl while Ron exclaimed "Hey!" indignantly in the background.

Everyone pulled out their copy of "_The Complete Analysis of Subconscious Manifestations_ by Alexa Sentaro" while Dameon moved to the table with Kalli and Willow.

Willow eyed the cover of the text book and lowered her eyebrows, Dameon examined his copy as well. "'Subconscious Manifestations' huh? Sounds like a complicated way to say dreams." he concluded.

"Of course, it's to make herself sound smarter, just like when Kalli uses unnecessarily big words just to make everyone around her seem dumb and herself seem smarter just for the fun of it." Willow included as she grinned and shifted her chair away from her cousin who looked like a viper ready to strike.

Kalli heaved a heavy sigh and decided to let the quip roll off of her shoulders, "Can we just get to analyzing dreams please, the subconscious can prove to be quite a conundrum." Kalli added, cracking a smile and throwing her cousin a shifty glance. "Willow, you go first."

"Hmm, ok, let me think of a good one. Oh, I got one!" she stated excitedly as she began her story. "Just a couple of days ago I had this strange dream that I was hiding in my living room under some giant books, and there was this penguin trying to get into the room, and not just any penguin, oh no, an evil penguin, trying to kill me! Well, I ran in the other direction and ended up in a flying car, and just as I finally thought I was safe I got bumped by another flying car, and it was driven by the Easter Bunny, who was also apparently trying to kill me. Then I jumped out of the car, thinking I had a parachute, and it ends up I just had a teddy bear, then I woke up. What do you guys think?" She inquired.

"Well if my opinion matters at all I think your bleeding nuts!" Ron exclaimed from the next table over.

"Well what you think doesn't matter, so pay attention to your own partner and stop eavesdropping." Willow scolded.

Kalli scanned page after page of the large text book then sighed to herself, "Well Will, I'm not saying I agree with Ron, but I am baffled, so lets move on, Dameon, it's your turn, unless you have any insight into Willow's um… _interesting _dream."

"I'm a little lost on that one too," Dameon began as he smiled at Willow, "But, well, my most recent memorable dream would have to be the one I had a couple of days ago, I was in a long tunnel, and I was jogging through the tunnel, longing to get to the end, for what seemed an extreme amount of time, then when I finally did get to the end, there was nothing visible there, but there was a feeling of complete happiness and fulfillment, something that could never be created again, and seemed so wonderful in itself." He finished with a warm smile on his face.

"Well that's a little bit easier!" Kalli thanked as she scanned the large book some more, her lips moving as she read. "Oh, here we go, ok, this says that 'your dream shows a hope, thought, or dream of your own being accomplished, something you have wanted very badly will soon be coming to you, in the form of a person, item, or achievement.' Well that's just a little ambiguous now isn't it." Kalli decided, pursing her lips.

"Pretty clear actually, just left open for interpretation," Willow concluded, "It just has to be open because some people hold the highest esteem to material things, while others to personal or public achievements, and some hold other individuals on the highest pedestal."

"Very observant of you, you have a very interesting point of view on things." Dameon complimented, as Willow thanked him with her eyes, flashing violet into his soul.

Lounging on the bank of the great lake on the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Willow Lupin absorbed what could be the last sun before a winter of snow. Calmly she cleared her head, thoughts would only fog over the relaxation of the beautiful afternoon. Placidly, she took deep breaths, overjoyed to be out of the stuffy castle.

Dameon was also out on the grounds on this perfect day, but his stroll held intent and purpose, his stomach crawled with nerves, butterflies raging from within.

Quickly knocking her from her trance, Dameon Pierce tapped her on the shoulder, trying not to scare her in the process.

"What's up Dameon, getting a little sun too?" She inquired.

Dameon just thought to himself about how perfect she looked right there, sprawled out on the small bank, shorts and a tank top exposing her sun-kissed skin, just the sight of her calmed his nerves like nothing else.

"Well, I just wanted to, I had a question, I was wondering…" Dameon took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves once again, he laughed slightly as he began again, "Willow, I would love it if you would be my girlfriend, if you would like to that is."

Willow was taken back by his nervous demeanor, he was usually so calm and collected, this was a whole new side of him. She stood up, still over half of a foot shorter than him, she gave him a small warm grin and whispered, "Of course, I would love to be your girlfriend."

Sighing in relief Dameon smiled from ear to ear, "Guess that means you don't think I'm the uncommitted type anymore, huh?"

"Definitely not." Willow said confidently. She leaned in close and pressed her lips against his sweetly, he hugged her and in that instant the world fell from around them, and they were alone, together, embraced, with the excitement of whole new possibilities welling up inside of them, now was the time to live, and they planned on living out every moment exactly how they wanted. Everything was perfect.


End file.
